Valve having manual and automatic means for operating it



Deg. 9, 1958 J. S. M CHESNEY ET AL VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND 'AUTOMATICMEANS FOR OPERATING IT Filed May 27, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

A"! A A m 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE ROBERT BROWN By JAMES S. Mc CHESNEY ATTORNEY.

Dec. 9, 1958 Filed May 27, 1955 J. s. M CHESNEY ETAL 2,863,470

VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR'OPERATING IT 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IZTC 322 INVENTOR. GEOR ROBERT BROWN T P us. y JAM S. Ma HESNEY, 1 fi MX QZWN ATTORNEY.

Dec. 9, 1958 J. s. MOCHESNEY ETAL 2,863,470

VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR OPERATING IT Filed May 27, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 a M Y lq ddllH N H |.[Y R S E O E WE T N N R 0. mRc m N M T m A fl S w RM 6 Y B Dec. 9, 1958 .1. s. M CHESNEY ETAL 2,

VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR OPERATING IT Filed May 27. 1955 s Shets-Sheet 4 FIG. 40 73A INVENTOR. GEORGE ROBERT BROWN BY JAMES s22? CHEiNEY ATTORNEY.

Dec. 9, 1958 J. s. M CHESNEY ETAL 2,863,470

VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND AUTOMATICMEANS FOR OPERATING IT Filed May 27, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. GEORGE ROBERT BROWN BY JAMESg/M: CEZSNEY.

ATTORN EY.

Dec. 9, 1958 J. s. MQCHESNEY ETAL 2,853,470

VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR'OPERATING IT Filed May 27, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. GEORGE ROBERT BROWN y JAMES 8. Mc CHESNEY..

ATTORNEY.

United States PatentO VALVE HAVING MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR OPERATING IT James S. McChesney, Jenkintown, and George Robert Brown, Oreland, Pa., assignors to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application May 27, 1955, Serial No. 511,606

4 Claims. -(Cl. 137-82) This invention relates to air-operated devices including means for automatically operating or for manually operating an air-operated final control valve or for manually shifting the control of this final control valve from automatic to manual operation or vice versa. Devices of this character are described in U. S. Patent 2,666,585, patented January 19, 1954-, to L. Gess.

Such devices include a manual control station for manual operation, a measuring element, a transmitter actuated by said measuring element, a controller connected to said transmitter for automatic operation, and a final control valve, which may be connected either to the manual control station for manual operation or to the controller for automatic operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide means whereby the parts of this device may be arranged, rearranged, connected, or disconnected so as to provide for combining the parts in various ways or for locating the parts in various positions relative to each other.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide check valves in the conduit between the controller and the actuating elements therefor. These check valves are located adjacent a valve actuating plate. This valve actuating plate and, consequently, the check valves may be actuated by means of a manually operable handle so that the conduit leadingto the controller may be opened or closed when the controller is placed in or removed from its desired location.

The various features of novelty which characterizethis invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages and specific objects obtained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic or schematic side elevation;

' Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the bottom of the case shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 (Sheet is a diagrammatic or schematic rear view of the parts in different arrangements than shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic or schematic view showing the pneumatic circuit comprising part of this invention;

Fig. 4A is a partial diagrammatic or schematic view showing the circuit switching plate 90 in one position thereof;

Fig. 4B is a partial diagrammatic view showing the circuit switching plate 90 in another position thereof and showing the one form of the bypass relay RM;

Fig. 4C is a partial schematic view showing the circuit switching plate 90 in its third position and showing a bypass relay RM of another type;

' Fig. 5 is a top or plan view showing a portion of the manual control station, the pressure regulator, and the controller;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5 partially broken away in vertical cross section;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view showing the parts turnedap-f proximately degrees in a horizontal plane from the position from which they are shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the controller base and the controller mounted thereon broken away to reduce the height of the view;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation viewed from vertical line 9-9 of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a horizontal cross section on line Ill-10 of Fig. 9.

Automatically or manually controlled system Figs. 1 and 2 show this device as applied to the measurement, recording and control of flow through the pipe P. This exampleis only one of many usesto which this system may be put. Flow through the pipe P is measured by an orifice plate OP. A measuring instrument M, which may well consist of a flexible diaphragm, is actuated by the different pressures existing in pipe P on opposite sides of orifice plate OP. Measuring element M operates an air-operated transmitter T which consists: of suitably arranged valves connected to a filtered air supply F. A. S. either through a restriction R (Fig. 4) or directly (Fig. 1). The output of transmitter T passes through a pipe to the regulator base 29 and thence through conduits, which will be explained in detail hereinafter, to the process variable chamber of the controller C. In Fig. 1 the controller C is shown mounted directly on the rear of the manual control station. tion consists of a recorder R. R. mounted in a hole in a panel board P. B. and comprising a case, generally indicated at 1, and three handles best seen in Fig. 2. Handle 17 operates an air-pressure regulator 28 (Figs. 5 and 6). Handle 30 operates a manual control valve 41 (Figs. 4 and 7). Handle 65 operates a transfer valve 73 (Figs.

'4 and 7).

When the system is in the Automatic position, the final control valve F. C. V. is under the control of the measuring instrument M. When the system is in Manual position, the final control valve F. C. V. is under the control of the air-pressure-regulator (shown in Fig. 5 at 28) manually actuated by handle 17.

A transfer switch 73 (the pneumatic circuit connections of which are shown in Figs. 4 and 7) provides means for manually transferring the governance of final control valve F. C. V. from Automatic to Manual position or vice versa. In Automatic position the output of regulator 28 is fed to the set point chamber of the controller C arid thereby provides means for manually adjusting the set point of the controller. In Manual position'the output of regulator 28 is fed to final control valve F. C. V. and thereby provides means for manually adjusting the position of valve F. C. V.

Switch adapter block 42 forms part of the manual control station and carries regulator base 29 on it. The controller C is mounted directly on the manual control station on the regulator base 29 by means of a U-shaped bracket 3% and a pair of screws 301. The controller base C. B. is secured to the rear of the switch plate .42.

The output of the controller passes out the orifice (marked V. for valve) in the regulator. base 29 to'the air-operated motor for the final control valve F. C.- V. The air for operating the controller C enters from a supply F. A. S. through an inletport in regulator base 29 (marked S. for supply). If desired, the controller C may be mounted directly on the back of the panel board P. B. adjacent to but not directly on the manual control station. This arrangement of the parts is shown in Fig. 3. i

The fluid whose flQWi$ to be measured passes through The manual control stapipe P which has an orifice plate OP therein. Pipes transmrt the different pressures of the fluid on the opposite sides of the orifice plate OP to the measuring instrument M wh ch actuates the air-operated transmitter T and supplies air both to the recorder base 29 and to the mounting manifold MM. Air passes through the mounting manifold MM and the controller base C. B. to the process variable chamber 201 (Fig. 4) of the controller C. The output a r pressure from controller C passes through the controller base C. B. and through pipe 113] to orifice 113H in recorder adapter block 89. The set point air pressure passes from orifice 1271-1 in recorder adapter block 8 9 to inlet 127C in mounting manifold MM. The reset air pressure passes from controller C out orifice 126C in mounting manifold MM and through pipe 112 to the air-operated motor for the final control valve F. C. V.

Controller C may also be located in a third position in which it is located adjacent the final control valve F. C. V. and not adjacent the manual control station. This arrangement is shown in Figs. 3 and 4B. In this arrangement, a bypass relay RM is employed. Fig. 4B shows that this bypass relay RM is located between the output 'of the controller C and the final control valve F. C. V. and shows the details of this connection. The output of the controller C passes from the controller base C. B. through the outlet orifice 113A, inlet orifice 113D, conduit 113E, chamber 113%, chamber 12oF, conduit 126E, outlet orifice 126C, to the pipe 112 and the final control valve F. C. V. (Fig. 4). Between chambers 113F and 12oF, is located a valve comprising a stationary valve seat RM2 and a movable valve member RM1. These members are actuated by means of a diaphragm in response to the pressure in chamber 113G. The bias of this diaphragm, when the pressure in chamber 113G is at atmosphere, is sufiicient to close this valve.

' When the transfer valve 73 is in the Automatic position, valve part 73A is closed but valve part 73B is open. Therefore, supply air from the controller base C. B. passes out the outlet port 125A, into the inlet port 125B and through a conduit to the port 104, sealed recess 115 in circuit switchingplate 90, port MP5, valve part 73B Bypass relay RM closes off communication between the output of controller C and the final control valve F. C. V. in the following manner. Air from supply inlet 125A in controller base C. B. passes through the inlet 125B, port 104, sealed recess 115 in circuit switching plate 90, port 102, valve part 73A (which is open), conduit 114, outlet orifice 113B and conduit 113C to motor chamber 113G. The pressure of this air in motor chamber 113G causes movable valve part RMIt to engage stationary valve seat RM2 and to thereby close off communication between inlet chamber 113F and outlet chamber 126F of the bypass relay RM.

Air pressure regulator Fig. 2 shows, projecting from the center of the lower part of the front end of the case 21, a handle 17 adapted to actuate the air pressure regulator. Handle 17 is connected to a shaft 18. Fig. 5 shows that shaft 13 carries at its rear end a readily-attachable-and-detachable connection comprised in part by the sleeve 19 having, at its rear, V-shaped or pointed ends 26 each separated by a slot 21 extending parallel to the axis of shaft 118. The other half of this readily-attachable-and-detachable connection com- (which is open), conduit 114 in switch block 42, outlet orifice 113B, andconduit 113C to motor chamber 1136 of relay RM.

Relay RM closes communication between the output of controller C and the final control valve F. C. V. in the following manner. When the transfer switch 73 is in Manual position, the valve part 73A is open and the valve part 73B. is closed. Therefore, the supply of air from outlet orifice 125A in controller base CB is closed by valve part 73B and the circuit traced above. However, since valve part 73A is open, the air in motor chamber 113G passes through conduit 113C, inlet orifice 113B, 'conduit..114', valve part 73A (which is open) to port 102 in gasket 97, which is aligned with port 106 in circuit switching plate 90. In consequence, the air in motor chamber 113G is vented to atmosphere and the valve constituted by movable valve member RM]. and stationary valve seat RM2 is closed, .closing off communication between the inlet chamber 113F and the outlet chamber 126F of the transfer relay RM.

Fig. 4C shows a system very similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4B. The bypass relay RM opens or closes communication between the controller output and the final control valve F. C. V. In Fig. 4C, however, the bypass relay RM is of the type which closes when air is applied to its motor chamber 1136 and which opens when air is vented to atmosphere from its motor chamber 113G. When the transfer switch 73 is in the Automatic position, valve part 73A is closed and valve part 7313 is opened. Air. from the motor chamber 1136 of bypass relay RM is vented to atmosphere through the conduit 113C, inlet prises a shaft 23 from which projects a pin 24 and which is connected to gears 26 which turn the actuator for the air-pressure-regulator, generally indicated at 23, and mounted on block 29. This air-pressure-regulator is of well known construction. Its construction and mode of operation are disclosed in detail in co-pending application Serial No. 511,489 of George R. Brown.

Controller The controller, generally designated C in Figs. 1 and 4, comprises a rigid casing 209 divided into twelve compart ments 201-412 by ten diaphragms Dl-Dlt).

When the system is in Automatic position, manually operated pressure regulator 28 transmits air through inlet orifice 236 and conduit 237 to chamber 210, which is called the set point chamber.

Air from a filter air supply enters controller base C. B. through inlet conduit 233 and passes through filter 224 and restriction 225 through pipe 226 to nozzle 220. A short pipe 227 connects pipe 226 and nozzle 220 to the motor chamber 232 of the relay RY.

Diaphragms IDS-D10 are connected together by rod 21-4. The pressure in chamber 2% acts on rod 214 in the opposite direction to the pressure in chamber 210. Therefore, if there is a difference between the pressure in chamber 2% and the pressure in chamber 210, rod 214 is moved longitudinally in one direction or the other. Such movement of rod 214 causes enlargement 218 to rock flapper 219 about its pivot and therefore varies the escape of air from nozzle 22%. The pressure of the air escaping through nozzle 22@ is fed through pipe 227 to motor chamber 232 of relay RY. Any change in pressure in motor chamber 232 causes inlet valve 229 or outlet valve 243 to open. If inlet valve 229 opens, air is fed from inlet orifice 224 and relay chamber 228 to relay chamber 23%. If outlet valve 248 opens, air escapes from relay chamber 23% through outlet conduit 234 and chamber 231, which is vented to atmosphere.

Pressure in chamber 23%? thus constitutes the output pressure of the controller and is fed through outlet orifice 113A through the circuits which have already been described.

The output pressure of controller C is fed from output chamber 23% through conduit 238 to chamber 2il6,'which is called the negative feedback chamber. The output pressure of the controller C is also fed through conduit 238 through restriction 239 which forms the throttling range or proportional band adjustment of the controller C.

From the outputside of restriction 239 the air is fed through conduit 249 to chamber 212, which is the positive feedback chamber.

Air from a filtered air supply is fed through inlet orifice. 233, filter 224, and'a conduit to restriction 240 and restriction 241 in series. The conduit between restrictions 240 and 241 is connected to chamber 246 of the reset unit. Air from inlet orifice 226A passes to chamber 244 of the reset unit through a reset restriction 250. The pressure of the air in chamber 244 causes diaphragm 24510 control the exhaust of air from chamher 246 through an exhaust port 247 bleeding to atmosphere. The pressure in chamber 246 is fed through restriction 241 and pipe 249 to the positive feedback chamber212.

' 'Air from a filtered air supply enters through inlet orifice 233 and passes through filter 224, restriction 242 and pipes 251 and 252 to chamber 203 and to nozzle 217 and, through rate restriction 253, to chamber 205 and, through pipe 251, to chamber 208.

Chamber 202 is vented to atmosphere and is merely a sealing chamber. Shaft 213 connects diaphragms D1--D4 together so that the movement of shaft 213 causes enlargement 215 to rock flapper 216 about its pivot. Flapper 216 controls the pressure in nozzle 217. The pressures in chambers 203 and 205 oppose the pressure in chamber 201. Consequently, any variation in the process variable pressure applied to chamber 201 causes a variation in the nozzle pressure in nozzle 217. This variation in nozzle pressure in 217 is applied immediately to chamber 203 and, after a delay imposed by the rate restriction 253, to chamber 205. This causes a delayed negative feedback to balance the pressure in chamber 201. This is known as rate action. The pressure applied to chamber 208 is consequently a process variable pressure as varied by the rate action and may be called the process variable pressure plus the rate pressure.

Chambers 207, 209, and 211 are vented to atmosphere. The pressure in chamber 206 opposes the pressure in chamber 212 and the pressure in chamber 208 opposes the pressure in 210. If thepressures in the chambers 206-212 are all equal, the controller is in a balanced position. If now the pressure in chamber 208 changes from the pressure in chamber 210, the pressure in nozzle 220 is varied, the relay RY is actuated, and the output pressure of the relay RY is fed through conduit 238, restriction 239, and conduit 249 to chamber 212, which is the positive feedback chamber. Simultaneously, the output pressure of the relay RY is fed through conduit 238 to chamber 206, which is the negative feedback chamber. Therefore, a change in these pressures will continue until the pressure in chamber 208 is made to balance the pressure in 210. When the pressures in the conduits 206, 208, 210, and 212 are equalized, the controller C again resumes its normal or balanced condition.

Check valve Means are provided for closing off the conduit which leads from the automatic operating element and the manual operating element to the controller C. These means are shown in Fig. 4 diagrammatically as the check valves 124V, 113V, 125V, 126V, and 127V.

Figs. 6 and 7 show the physical structure of one of these valves. The regulator base 29 is located vertically adjacent the right end of the switch block 42. duits in the regulator base 29 and in the switch block 42 are located the check valves which are all five of similar construction and of which only one will be described. The check valve comprises a spring 302 which bears at one end upon valve stem 303 having sealing rings 304 and 305 on it. Sealing or O-rings 304 and 305 bear against the sides of the passage in which the valve is located and seal it thereto. The valve stem 303 has at one end a hemispherical head 306 which serves as an actuating member. A sealing washer 307 is located in a recess 308 in the switch block plate 61 and seals the valve between the switch block plate 61 and the switch block 42 which extends horizontally beneath it.

is shown in the valve open position.

Figs. 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 show the means for actuating the check valve. These means comprise a valve-actuating plate 309 supported on switch block 42 by means of a pivot 310 (Fig. 6). A leaf spring 311 is secured to the switch block 42 by screw 312 and bears at its free end against valve-actuating plate 309. Spring 311 biases valve-actuating plate 309 about its pivot 310 in a counterclockwise direction.

Manually operable means for actuating plate 309 and consequently the check valve comprises a shaft 313 located in an orifice in controller base C. B. Fig. 6 shows that shaft 313 is biased to the right by a spring 314. Shaft 313 has at its right end an enlargement 318 on which is mounted a handle, generally indicated at 315, and comprised of a vertical plate 316 and a horizontal plate 317 attached to enlargement 318. At its left end, shaft 3.13 carries a plate-actuating cam composed of a cylindrical portion 319 and a frustoconical portion 320. Plate-actuating cam 319320 is located eccentrically of the axis of shaft 313. Consequently, when shaft 313 is rotated by means of handle 315, the cylindrical surface 319 engages plate 309 and turns it clockwise or counterclockwise about its pivot 310.

Means are provided for locking the plate-actuating cam in its valve open position. These means comprise a screw 321 which cooperates with a holding cam 322. Holding cam 322 is best seen in Figs. 9 and 10. Holding cam 322 comprises an inclined portion 323, a summit portion 324, and a holding or detent portion 325.

In Figs. 6, 9, and 10 the plate-actuating cam 319-320 If it is desired to turn the plate-actuating cam to the valve closed position,

handle 315 is turned counter-clockwise, as viewed in In con- Fig. 8, thereby turning the shaft 313, so that the screw 321 leaves the detent or holding portion 325, passes over the summit portion 324, and down the inclined portion 323. This movement permits shaft 313 to move to the right under the bias of spring 314 and thereby permits valve-actuating plate 309 to turn clockwise about its pivot 310, as seen in Fig. 6. The right end of plate 309 moves down the frusto-conical portion 320 and allows the check valves to move to closed position.

Recorder adaptor block Fig. 7 shows that the recorder adapter block 89 has two holes through it through which pass bolts 90A having screw-threaded ends engaging in screw-threaded holes 91A in switch block 42 and holding block 89 onto block 42. Holes 113H and 127H pass through recorder adapter block 89 and align with outlet orifices 113B and 1278 in switch block 42 and thus provide conduits through block 89. When recorder adapter block 89 is attached to switch block 42, outlet orifices 124B, 125B, and 126B are closed by block 89.

Pointed pins 92A enter holes (not shown) in recorder adapter block 89 and insure that block 89 is accurately located.

While, in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, we have illustrated and described the best form of the invention now known to us, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, and that in some cases certain features of the invention may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features. 7

Having now described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. Means for operating an industrial process including, a final control valve, an air-operated motor actuating said final control valve, a manual control station including a manually operable handle, an air-pressure regulator actuated by said handle, a measuring element, an airoperated transmitter actuated by said measuring element,

a controller actuatedthrough said transmitter by said measuring element, a conduit between said controller and said motor, a conduit between said regulator and said motor, check valves one located in each of said conduits, a check-valve-actuating plate pivotally mounted adjacent said check valves and adapted to engage and actuate them to open or closed position, a plate-actuating cam adapted to engage and actuate said plate, a manually-operable handle for actuating said earn, a screw mounted on said cam, a holding cam located adjacent said screw and having faces including a detent portion adapted to receive and hold said screw when said cam is in one of said positions, and a spring biasing said screw against the faces of said holding cam.

'2. Means for operating an industrial process including, a final control valve, an air-operated motor actuating said final control ,valve, a panel board, a manual control station mounted on said panel board, a manually-operable handle at said manual control station, an air-pressure regulator actuated by said handle, a conduit between said regulator and said motor, automatically-actuated airoperated means including a controller, a conduit between said controller and said motor, means for mounting said controller on said panel board adjacent to but independent of said control station. said means including a mounting manifold adapted to be attached to said control board and on which said controller is adapted to be mounted and a recorder adapter block adapted to be mounted on said manual control station and provided with a conduit through it connected at one side to said regulator and at the other side to said controller.

3. Means according to claim 2 including, a bypass ie lay having a relay valve connected in the conduit between said controller and said motor and controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit, an air-operated relay motor actuating said relay valve to open or closed posi tion, and a manually operated valve connected to said relay motor and adapted to admit fluid to or exhaust fluid from said relay mot-or.

4. Means for operating an industrial process including, a final control valve, an air-operated motor actuating said final control valve, a manual control station including a manually operable handle, an air pressure regulator actuated by said handle, a measuring element, an air-pressure-operated transmitter actuated by said meas uring element, a controller actuated through said transmitter by said measuring element, a conduit between said controller and said motor, a conduit between said regulator and said motor, a check valve located in said conduit between said controller and said motor, a checkvalve-actuating plate pivotally mounted adjacent said check valve and adapted to engage and'actuate it to open or close position, a plate-actuating cam adjusted to engage and actuate said plate, and a manually operable means for actuating said cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

